Eddy Merckx Photo Gallery

Eddy Merckx (Born June 17, 1945) was the greatest cyclist in the history of the sport. Scroll down this page to see that his list of victories is without equal.

He was a complete rider: able to time trial, climb, race across cobbles and win track races. Combine that talent with an extraordinary passion for victory and you have a rider who contested more than 1,800 road races and won 525 of them. Only he (1974) and Stephen Roche (1987) have won the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and World Road Championship in the same year. His 34 Tour de France stage wins is the career record as are his 96 days in yellow. Of course, only Merckx could be on the cover of the second volume of our Tour de France history (see right).

James Lockwood was in Mexico City that fateful week in 1972 when Eddy Merckx was there to set a new World Hour Record. Mr. Lockwood has generously shared his historic photos of that incredible week. Owen Mulholland wrote of that famous ride.

In Mexico City, from left: Eddy Merckx, Remo Vecchi and Signor Molteni, Eddy Merckx's pro team sponsor. Vecchi was a former employee of Cinelli who was at this time an engineer at Acer-Mex, which produced Windsor bicycles. Hence the resemblance between Windsor and Cinelli bikes.

Along the way, Mr. Lockwood photographed Agustin Alcantara. Racers of a certain age will remember that as leader of the Mexican National Team, Alcantara won the first Tour of California in 1971. It should be noted that Peter Rich of Velo-Sport in Berkeley poured all of his money into an attempt to bring real stage racing to the western United States.

Alcantara died in 1979 when he was just 32 years old.

Photos:

Merckx wins stage 2 of the 1968 Giro d'Italia in Novara

Merckx in the 1968 Giro d'Italia

Meckx time trialing to San Marino in stage 16 of the 1968 Giro d'Italia.

Merckx at the 1968 GP Castrocaro Terme

Another shot of Merckx at the 1968 GP Castrocaro Terme

Merckx in stage 15 of the 1969 Giro d'Italia

Another shot of Merckx time trialing in stage 15 of the 1969 Giro d'Italia

1969 Tour de France, Stage 1A: Merckx on the Muur de Grammont

1969 Tour de France, Stage 16: Merckx escapes on the Portillon.

Franco Bitossi in pink with Eddy Merckx after stage 2 of the 1970 Giro.

Eddy Merckx with maglia rosaFranco Bitossi early in the 1970 Giro d'Italia.

Merckx on his way to winning the stage 6 individual time trial (Bassano del Grappa -Treviso, 56 km) in the 1970 Giro d'Italia.